In this "Walk & Talk" episode, Gary and George tackle the fine line between professionally managing expectations and falling into the people-pleasing trap. It’s incredibly easy to promise the world to avoid disappointing a client or a boss, but kicking the can down the road with unrealistic deadlines always bites you in the end.

Gary breaks down why delivering bad news honestly is the ultimate trust-builder. We explore how to "clean your own house" so you can push back constructively, why fake promises ruin your reputation, and the simple "pause" technique that recovering people pleasers can use to stop overcommitting.

Key takeaways from this episode:

The truth will set you free: Don't invent fake deadlines just to soften the blow. Tell the honest truth, set a realistic timeline, and then work hard to overachieve on it.
Clean your house first: Before you push back on a client or colleague (like asking for missing data), make sure you and your team are executing flawlessly on your end first.
The People Pleaser's Pause: If you naturally hate confrontation, stop committing in the moment. Simply say, "Let me look into it and come back to you," so you can gather the facts and set an expectation you can actually meet.
Trust earns you the tent: When you consistently do what you say, you build trust. Once you have trust, you get "inside the tent," meaning people actually care about your opinion and give you leeway when things go wrong.

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Links & references: https://www.thecompanydoctor.com/
Gary Gamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garygamp
George Clode: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeclode

Gary's new book, Career Catalyst - available online now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Career-Catalyst-Secret-Skills-School-ebook/dp/B0DFYVG6XY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=